NCAA FB

Virginia adds 17, including 2 5-star defenders

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)

The Cavaliers officially added 17 players Wednesday on national
signing day, including two five-star defenders in safety Quin
Blanding of Virginia Beach and Andrew Brown of Chesapeake, who is
already enrolled.

The class is viewed by scouting services as one of the top 40 in
the nation, an especially strong showing by London and his staff on
the heels of a season in which the Cavaliers finished 2-10.

One of the highlights of London's recruiting pitch this year, he
said, was a campaign in which he talked to each recruit about their
ability to be part of helping turn the program around. One of the
recruits, cornerback Jeff Farrar of Upland, Calif., tweeted a photo
of the letter he got from London one day. It had Farrar's name atop
the page, and said only ''YOU!'' when he opened the letter.

''It kind of just took off,'' London said Wednesday.

The recruits also developed a closeness when visiting the campus
and that played a big role in helping to hold the class together.
Those commitments ''galvanized the class going down the stretch,''
London said, and the players already on the team were critical, as
well.

''Even after the year, there are still players in this program
that believe in what's going on'' and work to convince visiting
recruits that they could be the missing piece, he said. ''... The
best recruiters are the players on your team, and that was evident
with also holding this class together.''

The Cavaliers signees include nine from Virginia.

Beyond Blanding, a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder widely regarded as the
top safety in the nation, and Brown, who enrolled in January and is
6-4 and over 300 pounds, the highest rated prospects are 6-foot-2
wide receiver Jamil Kamara of Virginia Beach, and 6-5 offensive
lineman Steven Moss of Fredericksburg.

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VIRGINIA

National rankings (Rivals 40; ESPN 25; Scout 40).

Best in class: Quin Blanding, S, 6-4, 210, Virginia Beach. A
five-star recruit rated as the top safety prospect in the nation by
virtually every recruiting service. He and fellow UVA signee Andrew
Brown were named co-Defensive players of the year by Tom
Lemming.

One that got away: Will Richardson, OL. Originally committed to
the Cavaliers, but flipped a few weeks ago and signed with N.C.
State.

NOTE: Despite much speculation about London's future as the
Cavaliers stumbled to a 2-10 finish, he said ''it was gratifying to
see that the young men that made a commitment earlier stuck with
their commitment and really galvanized the entire class going down
the stretch.''

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